Paul Thomas Anderson wins first ever Oscar as One Battle After Another takes best adapted screenplay | Oscars 2026

Paul Thomas Anderson has received his first Oscar, for best adapted screenplay for One Battle After Another.

Also directed by Anderson, One Battle After Another is a unfastened adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland; it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a former revolutionary dwelling underneath a brand new identify together with his teenage daughter, performed by Chase Infiniti.

Anderson, 55, needed to overcome a robust discipline, together with Guillermo del Toro for Frankenstein, Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell for Hamnet, and Will Tracy for Bugonia.

Anderson has been nominated 14 occasions beforehand, together with 5 occasions for screenplays and thrice for best director.

“I’m incredibly honored to be part of this history,” stated Anderson, including that he owed a “huge debt of admiration and love” to Pynchon, however that his particular thanks went to his household, “the people that you share a roof with, who put up with what it means to live with a writer.”

He then shouted out his spouse, Maya Rudolph, as effectively as “Rain, Sylvia, Goo, Uncle Paul, Jojo.”

He added: “I wrote this movie for my kids, to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them. But also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency.

“My Pearl, Lucy, Jack, and Ida. I really like you. Thank you very a lot.”

The film-maker dominated the season awards in this category, winning best adapted screenplay at the Baftas, Critics Choice and Writers Guild awards, and best screenplay at the Golden Globes.

One Battle After Another is presently on a roll on the Academy Awards, having taken the inaugural casting award as effectively as best supporting actor for Sean Penn.